Strawbale houses were first built shortly after the invention of the baling machine. Settlers in western Nebraska who had access to this machine were quick to realize the potential of large, insulated building blocks. And the rest of the story, … Continue reading →
Readers are asking about two bag filling devices on the Internet — EZBagger and GoBagger. They scoop and funnel sand directly into bags. My preference for a bag filler was explained in my post titled Bucket Chutes (December 16, 2008). … Continue reading →
Originally published by Owner Builder Magazine, this excellent article by Rob Wainwright of Permaforest Trust comes complete with many useful building details, as well as quite a few beautiful photos. Rob explains how they built their four meter dome step-by-step … Continue reading →
Looking for the perfect furniture for your new earthbag home? Everyone’s familiar with bean bag furniture, but most brands use polystyrene fill, a possible carcinogenic. Consider making your own furniture filled with rice hulls as an all natural fill. Rice … Continue reading →
In an effort to track down the history of earthbag building, I’ve been reading up on the history of burlap bags – the forerunner to polypropylene bags. This post is based on information at NYP Corporation, a wholesaler of burlap … Continue reading →
There is an ongoing debate over the origins of earthbag building — who ‘invented’ it and when. It is an important point that gets into sticky questions about patent rights of building with earthbags. Some accounts of military sandbag structures … Continue reading →